The midday sun cast an ethereal glow on the expansive wilderness, its snowy blanket reflecting a dazzling palette of blues and whites. Talyssa padded through the snow with measured grace, a small flutter of excitement twitched in her chest as she turned to address those who had gathered. "Alright," she began, her voice surprisingly powerful among the natural stillness. "Remember, not everything is as it appears...Just as there are herbs here that can heal, there are other things that can harm. So please be cautious.” She explained as she observed everyone settling in. “This is why we are here- our topic for the day.” She paused, offering a grin to those as they tuned in.

"Open-mindedness," she declared, sweeping her gaze over everyone, challenging them to meet her intense stare. An approving nod passed over a few faces while curiosity sparkled in the eyes of others.

She stepped back, motioning towards the surrounding flora with a sweep of her hand. "Consider these plants around us," she started again, her voice a calm, gentle contrast to the cold winter day. "Some are immediately pleasing to the eye with their vivid colors and fragrant scents. Others may seem dull or even unpleasant. However, an unassuming weed could hold an intense healing property, while a beautiful flower may contain lethal venom. Just as it is here in nature, so it can be with people and their ideas." She explained, hoping to bring her point full circle.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia settled in, focusing intently on Talyssa's words, allowing them to warm her from within. She nodded in thought, her breath misting before her in the cold air. The notion of open-mindedness danced in her mind, weaving amongst her own beliefs and challenging them. She glanced around at the assorted plants that Talyssa had gestured to. The sun lent them an almost magical quality, their shadows stark against the pristine white snow. Rakia pondered on the plants' deceptive appearances - their beauty potentially veiling danger, their ordinary exteriors possibly concealing extraordinary strengths. She felt a frisson of apprehension at the thought. But what did plants have to do with open-mindedness?

"Rakia Perreau"

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

The pasted cream woman didn't really have far to go to arrive after the last lesson that this woman offered. The womans words drifting to her ears, as eyes scanned over the different herbs and flowers. She known some could do things others couldn't. This gave her a chance to actually step out of her comfort zone in Auster, ears twisted and turned upon her cranium as the sun was warm but the wind wasn't something she could honestly imagine thriving in. Taking a seat, a few nods were offered as her attention was drawn once more to the woman whos words and wisdom would be taught.

mood board

Setekh observed Talyssa as she moved gracefully through the snow, her voice cutting through the stillness with authority. Her lesson on open-mindedness and the deceptive nature of appearances was easy to focus on, to mull over her words as they came. She emphasized caution and discernment, clarifying the parallels between the flora and their interactions with them.

As Talyssa pointed out the duality of beauty and danger in plants, Setekh silently agreed. He watched the group's reactions, noting their varying degrees of understanding and curiosity. This lesson, oh how true it reigned. Setekh was the most beautiful flower there was, and yet it seemed as though he was a poison to all these fragile lives he came across. A shame.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn watched from a distance, hidden among the rolling hills, her expression unreadable. The midday sun cast long shadows across the snow, creating a stark contrast with the vivid light. She observed Talyssa's lesson, the woman's voice cutting through the stillness with surprising authority.

The notion of open-mindedness was foreign to Annwyn, who had long abandoned such idealism in favor of survival. Her eyes flicked to the plants Talyssa indicated, recognizing both their potential and their danger. As Talyssa spoke of hidden properties and deceptive appearances, Annwyn's lips curled into a slight, knowing smile, appreciating the irony of the lesson.

the selfish

Iris had tracked her friend and that of their previous teacher to this place. She could tell that in this place would explode with flora when the season changes. Herbs would be even more abundant than they are now.
She came just as the teacher was starting and she slunk in right next to Fic. How nice it was to learn next to a friend!

Crossing her paws she looks up to the teaching woman expectantly. Hmmm... Open-mindedness,  a lesson on the lethality of trusting how one looks to reflect their behavior. Was this going to be a lesson on plants or on people? Iris was keen to find out.

Talyssa plucked a seemingly insignificant weed from the snow and held it up for all to see. "Much like how you cannot judge a herb's worth by its outer beauty, we must not judge others by their outward appearances or immediate impressions. I challenge you all to keep an open mind, for that is the only way we can truly understand and respect one another." It seemed like it might be a simple point, but one that should go without being said.

She dropped the weed back into the snow, its tender green leaves offering a stark contrast against the white blanket. Her eyes, now soft and warm, held a profound wisdom that belied her youthful appearance. "We are all different, each one of us," she continued, her voice steady and filled with conviction. "Just like these plants around us, we each have our own strengths and flaws. Some of us may seem mundane, almost negligible. Others might appear grand and unforgettable. But that does not define who we truly are or what we can do." It was a topic she was passionate about, and one that she had no problem giving a detailed explanation on.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Rakia listened, her own thoughts weaving around Talyssa's words, stitching them into the fabric of her understanding. A gust of wind sent a flurry of snow dancing around them, each flake catching the sunlight in its descent and exploding with brief brilliance before melting away. Rakia found herself relating to the fleeting life of these snowflakes - each unique and beautiful, their worth not diminished by their brevity or abundance.

"Acceptance," she whispered under her breath, a silent affirmation to Talyssa's lesson. She looked around at her companions once more, this time with new eyes. Each unique yet unified by the environment, much like the plants Talyssa spoke about.

"Rakia Perreau"

Setekh stood in silence, his eyes fixed on Talyssa as she held up the insignificant weed. Her words about not judging by appearances settled deeply within him. The contrast of the green leaves against the snow -- her metaphor coming to life. His molten gaze lit up with delight.

As she continued, her voice steady and filled with conviction, Setekh grinned faintly, the thought of him having any flaws laughable; but he kept his composure. Strengths and flaws, appearances being deceiving, she was on the nose about that. Look at them all. So ignorant to God gracing them with his presence.

"speaking" | voices

Annwyn's gaze remained fixed on Talyssa as she held up the weed, its simplicity of great contrast to the surrounding snow. The lesson of not judging by appearances resonated in a… distant corner of Annwyn's mind, though she remained entirely skeptical. Talyssa's conviction and warmth stirred a faint, long-buried memory of a time when Annwyn herself might have believed in such ideals.

She watched as the weed fell back into the snow, its green leaves a fleeting symbol of resilience. Annwyn's eyes narrowed slightly, appreciating the wisdom in Talyssa's words, even as her own hardened heart resisted their full meaning.

the selfish

Speech//French

Oh, it was a comparison of the plants to the people! She got it now! The way the woman wove her words around them was inspiring, she wondered if Iris could one day have such a speech as hers. The common tongue weaving through the ears of many, in understanding and storytelling, inspiring and guiding them to conclusions illusionary.

Iris had come to this land an open book of hopes and naivety. But her travels had been turned and twisted by a brute who had tried to use her. She had been enthralled by him until he no longer was interested. He had indeed looked grand and unforgettable, his appearance belied his actions.

"Zhen how does one... See zhrough zhe lying of zhese appearrrance?" Iris asked, her accent still heavy as she spoke up.

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

Emerald pools watched and listened to the words that fell from Talyssa's lips. Her tail curling to her sides as she looked to the others with the emerald gaze. Twin peaks shifting upon her cranium. "We all are different but we have to accept the difference."

Identification whispered to herself, understanding the plants were also different. But she also understood that plants that looked a like were much different than the next. Soon Iris spoke out. It was a very good question as her eyes turned to her friend..

mood board

She turned around once more, her gaze sweeping over the group that had gathered around her. As the golden fae spoke up, a brightened grin spread across her features. "Exactly. Every one of you, whether you realize it or not, has something unique to offer. It's about digging deeper and finding that value within," she concluded, her words lingering in the chilled air. She noticed the way some of them shifted uncomfortably at her words, but many more had their eyes widened with a new understanding.

Her gaze softened as she looked out over the cacophony of colors in the small herb garden hidden amongst the snow. "The world would be a poorer place if we simply dismissed things based on their apparent worth. It is our duty to extend this understanding and empathy towards others. That is what it means to be open-minded." Talyssa finished, looking around those before her for any questioning glances.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

She had always been a quick learner, eager in her quest for wisdom. But this lesson, this understanding, seemed to resonate on a deeper level. It did not just provide answers to her questions; it challenged her to ask better questions. She replayed Talyssa's words again in her mind, feeling their echoes reverberate through her being. The idea was simple, yet so profound. She looked around at the individuals she had come to recognize over the past few encounters. All faces that were familiar to her now, but now she saw them all with new understanding.

Each one had a story, a hidden strength that was not immediately apparent. Like the nondescript weed Talyssa had held up, they each carried their own unique value beneath their exterior. Like the snowflakes that danced around her, they all bore beauty in their difference and ephemeral nature. She began to understand that being open-minded did not merely mean tolerating different opinions or appearances but truly recognizing and embracing their inherent value.

"Rakia Perreau"

Setekh watched Talyssa as she addressed the group, her words about finding and valuing the unique qualities within each other; it was a wonder he did not begin to giggle and expunge the mirth that grew within his chest. Her gaze softened as she emphasized the importance of empathy and understanding, likening it to appreciating the hidden worth in the herb garden. He wished to ask if he could dig deep within her and find her great value, but alas. Manners.

In silence, Setekh absorbed her lesson. The call to be open-minded and to look beyond apparent worth was not quite an appeal for the Ivory God. When he wanted to see someone's worth, he opened them up like a book and took what he wanted.

"speaking" | voices

"Speech"
|| "Thoughts"

Identification spotted the grin that spread across Talyssa's facial features, and that made Fic so happy, digging for more information. She known that they all had unique features, and other things to offer. So it made others want to dig deeper to understand to learn from others.

She couldn't help but to agree that without understanding and empathy of others would mean another would be close minded and Identification didn't like that at all. A frown crossing her features.

"We'd be in a world of trouble if everyone was close minded. But whats another way that we can express different veiws but also be understanding?" Wondering if there was a way to help someone to see a different way, but with feelings and empathy for that other.

mood board

Annwyn remained an observer, silent as her eyes never left Talyssa. The woman’s words echoed through the stillness of the breezy hills, prompting various reactions from her audience. Some fidgeted, like they were trying to wrap their head around the idea, some seemed enlightened; gazing back at Talyssa with newfound understanding and hope. All this Annwyn observed.

Annwyn’s gaze hardened as she considered the implications of the lesson. Her own experience had taught her to value self-reliance and skepticism over empathy and open-mindedness. Yet, she couldn’t entirely dismiss the wisdom in Talyssa’s words, begrudgingly so. The herb garden, vibrant against the snow, was a reminder of the lesson, the ideal that hidden strength and value often lay beneath false exteriors.

the selfish

Speech // thought // French

Fic made a statement, Iris didn't think the point of the lesson was to force others to accept differences but to just be aware of other people's differences could be hidden away under a facade of their appearance. The teacher didn't answer Iris so perhaps her own question wasn't quite on the mark either.
Like how a dark wolf wasn't necessarily an evil wolf, or a light-colored wolf an angel. How one who had possibly grown heavy was perceived as lazy, but could hide their strength and stamina.

"Fic, she means... perhaps to simply... be aware, I believe." She mentioned, touching Fic on the shoulder with a soft delicate touch. The lesson had ended, Iris bowed her head in thanks to the teacher and left the circle. Contemplating how one might peer beyond appearances.